Betting Matchup Preview
Game Details
- Who: Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Royals
- When: Friday, Sept. 9, 2022
- Time: 8:10 p.m. EDT
- Where: Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri)
Betting Odds Summary (DraftKings)
- Moneyline: Tigers +115, Royals -135
- Runline: Tigers +1.5 (-175), Royals -1.5 (+150)
- Total: Over/Under 8.5 Runs (-115/-105)
Note: Odds and lines are current at the time of writing and subject to change.
The Detroit Tigers don’t win many games, especially against the Kansas City Royals. The Tigers have the second-worst record in the American League (52-85) in part because they’ve lost seven of their last 10 games against the Royals, dropping three consecutive series.
Detroit is just 13-19 versus Kansas City since the beginning of last year, but can the Tigers finally steal a game from the Royals?
These are two dead teams. It’s hard to find betting value between two lifeless baseball teams in September, but there’s usually an angle to be found. If you’re looking for other basic MLB wagering strategies, check out our baseball betting guide.
Our Best Bet Today
From a record standpoint, Kansas City has been the better team in the second half. Since the All-Star Break, the Royals are 20-26 while the Tigers are a pathetic 15-30.
The statistics are fairly similar on offense, as both clubs have a team OPS between .660 and .670 since Aug. 1. Neither lineup features a top-tier hitter, especially Detroit which ranks dead last in runs scored.
The Tigers are better in the bullpen and on defense, but Detroit will have to carry its starting pitcher today. Joey Wentz is making just his third career start. The 24-year-old rookie’s changeup and curveball were both plus-pitches before last year’s UCL surgery, although his stuff is more questionable now as scouts have downgraded his changeup.
Wentz’s first two MLB starts have been a mixed bag, as he was shelled for six runs in 2 ⅔ innings in his debut but bounced back with four innings of one-hit ball against the Minnesota Twins his last time out.
The Royals are also starting a young southpaw in Daniel Lynch, who hasn’t improved much in his second season and just allowed four runs in five innings against the Tigers in his most recent start.
We’re expecting Wentz to toss about four innings in this start, which is what he averaged before undergoing surgery. Detroit’s solid bullpen will take the game from there.
We project that both starting pitchers won’t pitch long. Given that the Tigers have the advantage in a bullpen-heavy game, we’re betting the Detroit moneyline at +115 odds.
A $100 bet on the Tigers ML would pay out $115 in profits plus your $100 back.
Our pick: Detroit Tigers Moneyline (+115 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Our Same-Game Parlay
Looking at this game, we think there’s more value to be found than just a straight bet. Instead, load up a few value bets into a same-game parlay, which will combine straight bets into one bet slip and give larger odds on a potential payout.
Here’s what we’re thinking for our Tigers vs. Royals same-game parlay:
- Detroit Tigers Moneyline (+110)
- Over 8.5 Total Runs (-115)
- Daniel Lynch 4+ Strikeouts (-190)
Joining these three legs together gives us +600 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, which means a $100 bet would pay out a $600 profit plus our $100 stake back.
We already like the Tigers to win, but we also believe this will be a high-scoring game. It’s easy to fade both young pitchers given their inconsistency and high ERAs. And while Detroit’s bullpen is solid, neither relief corps is elite.
We’re also pretty low on Lynch, though he should be able to notch at least four punchouts against this weak Tigers offense. He’s tallied at least four whiffs in each of his last two starts, including his most recent outing against Detroit. It also helps that the Tigers have the fourth-highest strikeout rate (24.2%) in baseball.
If this game becomes a high-scoring Detroit win, we can cash in with this huge plus-money same-game parlay.
